I'll Always Be Yours
by Mems Amour
Summary: My first POTC fanfic. I'm still in the process of writing it, bear with me. Reviews are always appreciated. Thanks!


Chapter One: There Must Be A Way

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Pirates characters. And as upsetting as it is, Santa didn't bring me Orlando Bloom for Christmas this year, nor will he ever.

This is my first POTC story, and I'm sure it's not the best you've read. It takes place post AWE, but without the kid. I just didn't think he'd fit into my plot very well. I'm still writing it at this point, but I'm sure there's some AWE spoilers in here. Reviews are always appreciated, even if they're flamers. I appreciate people's honest opinions. Thanks in advance to all of you who review. And now...On with the story!

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_It's a foggy day at sea and a little girl looks into th__e eyes of a young boy named William. She blinks and it's a bright morning in Port Royal. She blinks again, and she rises from bed and realizes she's had a dream about him. She blinks again, and it's later that day. He comes to her home to make a delivery. He breaks her heart and she can't stand it. She blinks again, and it's the middle of the night. They're on a ship. They look each other in the eyes and their hands brush. She blinks again, and Captain Sparrow is about to be hanged. She realizes she's fallen for William. She blinks again, and months and months pass. Captain Barbossa marries them in the middle of war. She's about to blink again as she hears a faint cry and everything falls silent. She turns and sees that her beloved has been stabbed._

"William!" Elizabeth screamed as she shot bolt upright in bed, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.. She looked around and realized that it had merely been another of her nightmares. She'd had them every night since William said away on the _Dutchman_. Ten years was a long time, and a lot could happen. The question was: Could she be faithful to him for that long? Could she go ten years without him and not fall for another man?

Of course she could. She's the King of the Brethren Court. She's a pirate. And she's the captain of her own ship. There's loads of things she could do for ten years. She could sail the open seas, see foreign lands. And if she ever got discouraged, all she had to do was remember. Remember all the times she'd spent with him, all the things they'd done; remember to look ahead to that glorious day ten years from now when they'd be together again.

Still, she couldn't fight the feeling that there had to be a way, some way, to free Will. She pondered it day in and day out for weeks. The only thing she could come up with was to see Tia Dalma. After which point, she'd remembered that Tia Dalma was set free. She was a goddess, after all. She could be anywhere in the world.

Tia Dalma was a goddess. And therefore return to her "fleshy prison" at any moment for any length of time. She may not be too fond of pirates, or anyone for that matter, but she was a woman. A woman in love. Surely she would understand what Elizabeth was going through. Surely she could come up with a way to fix everything. To make the world right again.

The sun rose the next morning, just as bright and chipper as ever. Unlike most mornings, Elizabeth didn't dread the sunrise. She didn't stay in bed with her eyes closed and curtains shut, hoping the sun would magically disappear. She was looking forward to this morning.

She hurriedly dressed, packed a few of her belongings, and headed down the beach to her ship. Walking up the gangplank and onto the deck she spotted a hat slowly drifting downward on the breeze. Recognizing the hat, she looked up, only to see Captain Jack Sparrow hanging on the sails.

"Jack," Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief that she wouldn't have to sail all the way to Tortuga by herself.

Jack jumped down to the deck and looked Elizabeth over. "Three months and you haven't changed a bit, luv."

"Neither have you, Jack."

There was a momentary, slightly awkward silence, followed by another, less momentarily, more awkward silence.

"You have a suitcase," Jack finally said, noticing the bag Elizabeth carried with her.

"Yes, I do. You always were quite observant."

"Where are you going?"

"Tortuga."

"Tortuga? A pretty lass yourself sailing to Tortuga all by your onsie? That hardly seems safe. Dear William wouldn't approve of that."

"Then come with me. I can't sail this ship by myself, nor do I want to. I'd appreciate the company."

"Sail with you? To Tortuga?"

"Yes, Jack, that's what I said," Elizabeth said while giggling. The first time she'd even so much as thought of lauging since...

"Well I've got nothing better to do. Step lively, then."

"You're not the captain, Jack. I am."

"With all due respect your highness, this is my ship."

"Actually, it's mine."

Jack looked down, and realized that he was, in fact, on Elizabeth's ship. "Bugger."

Elizabeth sighed. "I suppose you can be captain on the way to Tortuga, but after that I take over." She smiled as she watched Jack's eyes light up like the sunrise.

The sunrise.

Elizabeth looked down. She barely had a shadow. It was almost noon. Half the day was gone, wasted.

"Well, captain. Let's set sail. I'd like to get to Tortuga by tomorrow night, if possible."

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Yes, it's a bit short, but it's a start. I promise I'll try my best to make my future chapters longer. Now go go go! Review! Please. [: Flamers are appreciated too.


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